Game



Nov. 26, 1940.

J. W. INK

GAME

2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 23, 1938 mv ow J. W. INK

Nov'. 26, 1940.

GAME

Filed Aug. 23, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M 9J w @m04 WIWI 5 2? fC, y (CWHM y rE f www y r1. k rim f2, fn/ WHM k f2.. Zwlm k (7J, k k f3, L fvdwmm y f4. k ,r4wmm k f4. k (AWM k f5. L fwm k f5. k fwmmm f6. L ffOmm y f 7. L fH/wunllw k 3 INVENTOR JOSEPH W. /N/c Y [52u M MIM/g ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME l Joseph W. Ink. Totowa, N. J.

Application August 23, 1938, Serial No. 226,214

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-134) atmosphere of horse racing. In addition, the

game has many interesting factors inherent in l the invention which are not present in any other game.

The game of this invention, in its broader scope, has two outstanding characteristics in that (first) after the cards are dealt, each player evaluates l his hand and bids according to his estimate of the total number of points which can be made with his hand, in combination with the hand held by his partner, and, (secondly) that as the play progresses on the board, the trump changes.

These and other interesting features are more fully described hereinafter.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 represents a plan view of a board, diagram, or chart; vFig'. 2 represents markers used in playing the game, and Fig. 3

represents a pack of fifty-two cards which have a, predetermined relation and value with respect to the indications on the board.

The board I, made of suitable material, is preferably provided with a number of recesses 2 therein, arranged in two parallel rows or lanes 3 and 4 entirely around the board. The number of recesses is optional but it has been found that the game can be successfully played with two lanes of recesses, one hundred to each row, eachrecessrepresenting one forward step or length in the game. The rows of recesses are divided into four equal segments or quarters 5, 6, 1, and 8, each quarter, on the basis of a hundred length game, containing twenty-five lengths in each section of each lane.

The entire series of lengths is, for convenience, marked oif into divisions of ve lengths to each division and each division is numbered in the direction of play, as 5, 10, etc. 'I'he starting and finishing line is at the 100 division line indicated by the arrow 9. Thedivisions are-also marked in a direction reverse to the direction of play by the numerals 10, 20, 30, etc., to 70, as indicated at I0, the object whereof will appear hereafter. Each quarter is identified by a symbol II, I2, I3, I4.

'Ihese symbols correspond to suits of the cards and as the play continues and enters progressively within these succeeding quarters the trump immediately changes to correspond to the quarter in which the most advanced play is taking place.

The center of the board is provided with a scoring chart, also provided with recesses. The scoring represents four different scoring units I5, one for each player. The rst row of each scoring unit I5 represents score value of 10,000, the second row 1,000, the third row 100, and the fourth row 5 10. The row of numerals indicates in a crosswise direction the multiples of the scoring values.

The pack of cards (fifty-two cards) is divided into four suits of thirteen cards to the suit. Each suit bears a symbol indicative of the suit, which, l0 as illustrated, shows segments of a circle. Further, the four symbols use d are related one to another and are in sequence, to wit, one segment, two segments, three segments, four segments. For further ready identification, each suit symbol is 15 distinctively colored. As illustrated, the thirteen cardshaving one segment 20 are colored black and are hereafter referred to as black. The cards having two segments 2| are colored red and are hereafter referred to as red. The cards 20 having three segments 22 are colored blue and are hereafter referred to as blue. Thecardshaving four segments 23 are colored gold and are hereafter referred to as gold. It will be noted, by reference to the board I, that the segments of 25 the board bear the same suit symbols, to wit, II (black), I2 (red), I3 (blue),and I4 (gold). Each suit is provided with the following cards: one 7, one 6, two 5s, two 4s, two 3s, two 2s, one 1, one card marked E called Echo, and one card 30 marked C called Cheer, the total maximum value whereof is 248 points or sufficient to permit the markers to be moved 248 lengths. The respective suits have no dominating value over one another (as is ordinary with playing cards), in- 35 asmuch as the suit value is determined by the quarter of the board into which the play enters. The numerically numbered cards have a value in the order of the highest numeral carried thereon. Where two cards bear the same numeral, the one 40 rst played dominates the later played one in value.

'I'he physical construction of the board is not particularly vital to this invention. A suitable board may be made of wood, Bakelite, card-board 4.5 or the playing board may consist of printed sheets furnished in pads and instead of using the markers Iii-I9, the players might indicate the play by pencil or otherwise. In the specification and in the claims, when reference is made to 50 board, it is intended to cover not only the specific board described and illustrated, but other forms of charts, diagrams, or drawings which lend themselves to the playing of this game.

The pack of cards represented in Fig. 3 are by 55 `lli iso

way of illustration only and it is evident that other forms or types of cards or playing units may be designed which will readily adapt themselves to the invention. 5 'I'he game is played as follows: There are two partners on each side. each side playing with two markers I6, I1 (red) and the other side playing with the markers I8, I9 (green). The four players seat themselves with partners opposite each other and the markersv I8,A I'I, iI8 and I9 are initially placed into the recesses Ia, I1a, I 8a and I9a respectively. f

'I'he board is placed at a corner of the table with the arrow 9 pointing toward the center of the table. 'I'he player at the left of the board and his partner, use the inside lane and the player at the right and his partner, use the outside lane. 'I'he markers are advanced, by moving the rearmost in each lane, thereby giving the players no option as to which marker is to be moved and compelling the forward motionof the two markers of each team more or less together.l The pack of fifty-two cards are dealt, thirteen cards to each player, and whenl the cards have all been dealt the bidding commences. Each player evaluates his hand and determines the maximum number of lengths or forward steps his hand is capable of producing. Should he determine that his hand, in combination with the hand held by his partner, is capable of producing more than one hundred points or lengths required to carry la marker from the starting point around the board, backto the starting point, he is in position to ultimately bid his hand to its estimated full value. The first bidder. he who is to the left of the dealer, having evaluated his hand, may bid or pass. Should he determine to bid, he may bid to ten lengths or any multiple of ten lengths up to '70. Such a bid is called a handicap. Having 40 bid, a player moves his sides markers rearwardly or clockwise a number of lengths equal to his bid. Thus, for instance,'if he bid a handicap of 10 he would put one of his markers in the path in which his play is to proceed, opposite the numeral 3.45 1o m the division marked :z5-9o and ne would put the second marker in the recess immediately behind the recessv newly occupied by the rst marker. Each player in turn may bid his hand and accept a handicap. The bidding Proceeds in 50 in rotation and progressively until each of the players determine for himself that he has 'no further wish to handicap his play. 'Ihe markers may consequently be distributed, if handicaps are bid, anyheres from the numerals which `55 lie between the two paths of lengths, to the numeral 70 at the 30 division. If no handicap is bid, the cards are redealt. It is contemplated' that the sum or total of the handicaps bid by both sides may reach the maximum of '10,V which is the limit 60 of the play. A player is not required to overcall a preceding bid by an opponent. Thus, for example, if there is a preceding bid of a handicap of 30, another player may bid a handicap of 10. When the handicap bidding has ended. the 165 players then proceed to play the cards. The first play is made by the player who holdsthe Cheer card in the first or starting trump and the play then proceeds clockwise as in lall other card games. The ilrst or starting trump is de- 70 termined by the marker nearest the arrow 9. Assuming that in the course of bidding, red (markers I6, I'I) have bid a handicap of 20, these markers will be in the two reces'sas in' the outer lane immediately behind the division line I0. 75 Assuming in the same game that green have bid a handicap of 3l, the markers I8, I8 will be in the inner lane immediately behind the division line 1l.

:inasmuch as the most forward marker (I8 or I 1) is in the gold quarter. that suit is trump. The initial player must play the Cheer card (card marked C") in the trump suit (gold or the four segment suit) and the other three players follow in clockwise rotation. Any following player who is devoid -of trump may play any card. When the initial player plays the trump Cheer card (in the gold suit) he forthwith moves the most rearward marker of his side forwardly ten lengths (the value of the Cheer card when trump) before his opponents or his partner plays.

'I'he other players then play on the trick and that player who plays the highest numbered card in trump wins the trick. The total of the numbers on the cardsv are added together (excepting the value of the Cheer card) and the winners of the trick move their rearmost marker forward and beyond their other marker the number of lengths corresponding to the total of the trick. The winner of a trick follows with a lead (trump must always be played, as a lead if the leader has trumps, otherwise he may lead any card). If a card other than prevailing trump is led, other players on the current trick must play trump if they have a trump, otherwise they may play any card. The highest trump card wins the trick; if` no trump card is played on a trick then the highest card of the lead suitwins. f h y Suppose the first trick (in the above illustration) consists of the Cheer card (led by the opening player), 5, 3 and 1 inthe prevailing trump suit (gold) and that the player leading the Cheer belongs to the side (red) bidding a handicap oi` the player of the Cheer card would at once, upon playing the Cheer card, move his sides most rearward marker forward ten lengths beyond his sides other marker or to the rst recess just behind the 90 division; should his partner have played the 5 card, their other marker would be moved forward nine lengths beyond the marker flrst moved, the sum of 5, 3 and 1 (the Cheer card does not count in making up the total value of the trick), or to the second recess behind the 100 division line. The winner of the trick plays again, and. supposing his side wins the trick and it has a value of thirteen lengths, the rearmost marker (in the rst recess behind the 90 division line) would be moved forward thirteen lengths beyond the other marker and inte Vthe bleek When the irst marker enters the gold (four segment) quarter, the gold cards again become trump.4 'Ihe rst marker to ilnish, by passing over the line |00, wins for the side to which it belongs. y

It is to 'be noted that, to win, the successful side must play out the handicap as well as the normal course of the board and that trump is controlled entirely by the leading marker entering a new quarter. To illustrate, a-peculiar and interesting feature, assuming thata player plays a Cheer card in trump (or an Echo card in trump which also has a value of ten lengths), he must at once move his sides rearmost marker forward ten lengths beyond his sides other marker without waiting for the'A remaining players to play on the trick. Should' such ten lengths carry the marker into a new quarter, the trump instantly changes and the trick must be evaluated, when completed, on the basis of the new trump.

The foregoing explanation provides player with suicient infomation to play an interesting game with this invention. The rules may be made more complicated and involved, if desired.

At times thecards may not be played to provide sufficient moves or lengths to complete a game. Under such conditions, the game may be abandoned or a point reward given the side having a marker nearest the finish line.

In scoring, the winning side is entitled to credit not only for the handicap bid by it but also the handicap bid by the opposite side. Scoring credits may be given on the basis of the total of all handicaps bid. I'hus the total of the handicap may be multiplied by 100 and the score recorded in favor of the winning side on the scoring chart l5.

Ihe play may be conductedunder any set of rules found to be interesting within the scope of this invention. Thus, for instance, attention is directed to two variations of the game above explained. In the first of these variations the trump will not change until the trick following the entrance of the leading marker into a. new quarter, and, to begin said following trick. the Cheer card of the new trump will be led by the player who holds it, regardless of the winner of the previous trick, and, thereby, the Cheer card will act as a signal of a change in trump and as an indicator of the identity of the new trump. In the second of these variations the trump will not change merely because the leading marker enters a new quarter, but will occur, instantly and immediately, when the player holding the Cheer card of the new quarter desires to, and/or does, play same, and, thereby, the Cheer card will act as a contributory factor to, or as a cause of. a change in trump, as well as serving as an indicator of the identity of the new trump.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus adapted to be played with a deck of cards having a multiplicity of suit values and playable by a plurality of playersy eachV having a movable playing piece, according to which game each playing piece may be moved forwardly a plurality of steps in accordance with the value of each trick of the card game, said game apparatus comprising a playing board having a marked path of travel comprising a multiplicity of sectors, each sector being provided with markings indicating single steps of play, each sector being marked with a. different symbol, each of said symbols on said board corresponding to a suit value of said cards, a starting-station indication on said board, indications dividing the board into equal sectors, the value of the successive steps in each sector between each indication being determined by the symbol applied to each sector, whereby the players right to move their playing pieces in the particular sector where play is proceeding is controlled by the value of each winning trick as the card game is played.

2. In a game apparatus according to claim 1, in wnich sectors in the direction opposite to the normal direction of play on the board are provided with a series of figures indicating steps in reverse to the normal direction of play, whereby, when the card game proceeds. in the nature of bidding, as in a bridge game, a player may determine the point on the board at which he elects to start his playing piece according to the estimate of the value of his hand.

JOSEPH W. INK. 

